Located near Basel in Switzerland, the Goetheanum is a significant cultural and educational institution, recognized globally for its unique approach to promoting the arts, education, and spirituality. This impressive facility was designed by Rudolf Steinar and is dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of his works and teachings.
Named after the famous German poet and playwright, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the centre has become a hub for conferences, research, and cultural events.
Solution Needed.
Due to its multi-use nature, the centre is made up of several smaller buildings for workshops and smaller events, but its main attraction is a large stage where conferences of up to 1000 people can be held.
To make the most of the centre’s offerings, it was necessary to find a way to connect all the buildings and ensure seamless video and audio transmission. The centre had already incorporated a Dante solution for audio networking, and they now required a video solution that was similarly IP-based and could be easily integrated into their existing system.
Solution Provided. BirdDog and NDI.
The need for an IP video solution naturally led them to BirdDog. The centre had previously tested a single BirdDog P200 PTZ camera and found the results overwhelmingly positive. Jesse Osmer, the Director of Operations at the Goetheanum, explains:
“We wanted to find something that was IP-based and could be quickly implemented into our existing system. Right away, we came upon BirdDog and tested one P200 camera. It was so successful, working very well for our live streams.”
They were so impressed with the performance of the BirdDog P200 camera, that they decided to invest in a package of three P200 cameras and a PTZ Keyboard controller. Installed into a new dedicated studio running Telestream Wirecast on a Mac, this space has become the hub for all their Zoom sessions, live-streaming events, and events where attendees could participate either in-person, or online.
“We wanted to have a room where we could also do our live streaming with a hybrid-workflow with people here in-person, and hundreds more people online,” says Jesse.
To augment the multi-purpose nature of the room, they invested in almost 30 BirdDog FLEX4K NDI Converters in a mix of Encoders, Decoders, and the unique FLEX BACKPACK model.
“With the flexibility of the FLEX, maybe that’s why they call them the FLEX, we’re able to quickly bring in computers, add them into our video network, grab their feeds, such as a PowerPoint presentation, and bring them into our live video mix.”
Jesse continues to find ways to improve the installation, and one of the future goals is to install more fixed P200 cameras in the facility.
“We are looking to install more fixed P200 PTZ cameras on our network for use in our workshop rooms. Additionally, we are considering implementing P4K cameras in our main auditorium, where we have many performances, concerts, and lectures that are not always well-lit. The P4K has advantages in low-light situations, and we hope to implement these cameras in the next year or two.”
Overall, the Goetheanum has been extremely satisfied with the IP and NDI solutions provided by BirdDog, and they are confident that this relationship will continue to grow and evolve in the future. The technology has made it possible to bring together people, from not only all parts of the facility, but from all over the world.
“We have been very happy with the use of IP and NDI, and BirdDog has proven to be a great solution for us. We’re very happy.”
Equipment used at the Goetheanum:
To learn more about the Goetheanum please visit goetheanum.ch/en
